Thank You
by Kievan Rus' Supernova
Summary: Because everybody has a heart. Sometimes it just takes a lot to make it show. SSHP Harry/Severus


**A/N: This is a story I've moved from an old account to this one. Slowly but surely the older stories are being rewritten and moved to this account. This is the first of my revamping movement. **

**A/N: I would also like to point out that this was the FIRST story I ever finished. I was so proud of it. Still am too. Hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writting it. This was written about...oh....two or three years go. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. None of it.**

If theirs one thing you can't call Lucius Malfoy is loyal to the Dark Lord. He was a spy, just as Severus. The only problem was that none of the Order other than Dumbldore know it. None of them would believe it. Lucius didn't want his son, Draco, to have to go through what he has. He didn't want him to get the Dark Mark. Draco didn't want to get Marked either.

His son. That was the only person he really cared about, other than Severus and he was like a younger brother. Lucius and Draco were walking down a street in muggle Surrey when they heard the conversation that would change their lives.

"Boy." Both Lucius and Draco started at the malicious tone. Their curiosity was peaked, so they walked the few steps to the alley mouth they had heard the voice from. "You're gonna get it when we get home tonight." A fat man, who was red in the face, had a boy pinned up against the wall by his throat. The boy was gasping for air. He nodded quickly, his black hair flopping into his green eyes. Both Lucius and Draco were stunned silent, there was only one person they knew with those eyes and perpetually messy black hair. Harry Potter. "What d'you say?" The fat man backhanded him, knocking his head back against the wall with a thud.

"Yes Ver-non." Harry gasped out. He stopped dead the moment the words escaped him mouth, his eyes widened and he looked at Vernon? in terror. What had he said wrong? Lucius thought, only to be answered the next moment.

"What did you call me?" Vernon asked, his face going even more red and his voice deadly. Harry began to tremble, and stuttered out the most horrendous words that Lucius could have heard from him.

"Un..uncle Vernon." Lucius' hands were beginning to tremble lightly. To be abused by your family was bad, and be a wizard also is the greatest offense. Purebloods were always taught that children were special, to be treated as such aslo. Abuse was not acceptable. Most pureblood families had only one child, and that child was treated as a gift. If not in public but in the privacy of the home they were loved emmencly.

"I'll gonna make last nights 'fun' like a walk in the park tonight." Harry's uncle spat. He swung his meaty fist into Harry's stomach. Lucius could hear a few of Harry's ribs crack. He looked at his son. Draco was starring in shocked horror at the scene presented in front of him. He placed a hand on his shoulder, Draco turned to Lucius, eyes wide.

"Draco I want you to step out of the alley and wait for me. Okay?" He said, his voice gentle and loving as it usually only was at home.

"What are you going to do?" Draco asked Lucius with amasment. His dad was going to take on this big guy?

"Don't worry about me. I'm the wizard here, remember?" He smiled gently and pushed him slightly toward the alley entrance. He put a silencing spell over the alley and an invisibility charm over himself.

"Now, go get the groceries. I'm going to get a drink." Vernon threw Harry against the opposite wall, throwing some money at him. He waddled out of the alley before Lucius could stop him. Lucius turned back to the figure that was groaning slightly on the dirty ground. To Lucius's suprise Harry stood up, only wincing slightly from the broken rib that was more than likely smarting just a bit.

"Damn." Harry sucked in a breath and put a hand on the wall to steady himself. Lucius was about to take the invisibility charm off himself, when he heard a door open a few yards back frm where Harry stood.

"Hey!" A gray haired man yelled at Harry. He had a hand-gun pointed at Harry, finger on the trigger. "I've told for the last time to stay out of my alley." Harry wheeled around, eyes wide when he spotted the gun. He turned and sprit-stumbled out of the alley. Lucius followed, concerned about the boy. Running like that must have hurt. He saw Harry run into Draco, who caught him before he fell to the ground. Harry flinched back from the touch, he still had his head ducked as he spoke.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to run into you. I was just trying to find my...uh...sister. You haven't seen her go by have you?" His voice shook with pain. Draco was stunned that Harry hadn't looked up yet. Lucius took off the invisibility spell and walked up to the boys, making sure to walk louder than normal so as not to startled the boy. Harry realed around and pulled his head up to look at Lucius. His eyes practically screamed at Lucius that the was terrified of him. "Hi." He smiled weakly, trying to back up only to run into Draco. He looked at the person behind him and gave an undignified squeak. He must have realized that he was trapped. "Uh...can I help you?" He had his arm around his chest, trying unsuccesfully to stop the pain.

"Harry." Lucius spoke in his most gentle voice. The one he hadn't used since Draco was a child. Harry's eyes darted around, looking for an escape. "Were not going to hurt you. Were here to help. I'm a spy for the light, just like Severus. Were going to get you out of here." Harry's eyes windened even more, which didn't seem possible.

"How...how do I know you're not lying." He was tense, you could tell from a mile off he was scared.

"You come up with something to test us, it's your decsion." Lucius knew he had to let Harry make the moves. He was too scared to be able to handle anything that Lucius tried to tell him. Lucius was just glad he was considering it, let alone looking like he was actually trying to come up with a way to test his trust. He fidgeted as he thought, his face scrunched in concentration.

"Would you let me remove your Dark Mark?" Harry asked cautiously, scrutinizing Lucius's reaction. Lucius was stunned, Harry could remove the mark that had plagued him for 20 years?

"You can do that?" Draco piped up, his tone excitied. Harry just nodded silently, still staring at Lucius.

"It'll hurt a little. Like it did when you got it, only a shorter amount of time, I promise." Harry told Lucius, looking into his eyes. Lucius could see hope building, willing Lucius to say yes. Lucius could not deny that look, and nodded his head slowly. "Can you lift your shirt sleeve?" He asked. Lucius lifted the sleeve of his shirt to reveal the ugly mar on his pale skin. Harry moved forward slowly and gently put his cool hands over the mark. "Are you sure?" He asked again, biting his lower lip uncertainly. "Once I do this you can't ever get the mark again, or any of your children, voluntarily or involuntarily. Basically your immune to it. That includes Draco since he is your biological child. Tom can never force him to get the Mark, ever." Lucius and Draco started with wide eyes. They both nodded and watched as Harry closed his eyes, trusting that they wouldn't do anything to him while he was vulnerable.

He said a few things in parseltongue and the skin under his hands began to glow a dark purple hue. Pain like Lucius skin being burned ripped through his arm, but it was nothing compared to the Cruciatus. With one final word and a blinding flash of purple Harry took his hands off of Lucius's now ubmarked skin.

"Sorry about the pain. I'm still working on that part. I think I just need to change a few words and it'll be..." He trailed off. His face lit up into a bright grin, which looked odd on his bruised face. He pulled a small notebook out of his pocket and a pen and opened it. He was writing furiously when he seemed to remember our presence. "Er. Sorry. I've been working on this spell for about a year, trying to make it painless and effective. I just figured it out. Next time it won't hurt a bit and their won't be any light. I could do this undetected if I wanted to." He seemed to be off on another continent as he ranted, a serene smile on his face. Draco was stuck between gaping in astonishment and laughing at the little dance Harry was now doing. Lucius just chuckled slightly, smiling fondly at both boys. "Ow! Damn. I shouldn't have done that." Harry stopped and wrapped his arms around his ribcage. He swayed on his feet. Lucius wrapped his arms around him just as he collapsed. He pulled him into his arms bridal style, motioning for Draco to follow him into the alley again.

"Take a hold on my arm and I'll apparate us home." Lucius said. Draco took a firm grip on his Dad's arm and they were wisked away the next second.

They appeared in the front entrance to Malfoy Manor and Lucius carried Harry up into the spare bedroom across the hall from his master room. He wanted to be available to help the boy as much as he could. He lay him in the bed and got a healing potion from his room. After forcing the boy to swallow it he left him lying in the room, healing. Draco followred his father to the study as Lucius fire called his godfather, Severus Snape.

"Severus, get over here now." Lucius told him quietly. Severus could hear the urgent tone in his voice and said he'd be there in a moment. Lucius stood as the fire turned green and Severus stepped out. He swept him up in a hug, tears streaming down his face. "I'm free, Sev. I'm free. So is Draco. He can't be Marked Severus." He pulled back, looking his old friend in the eyes. "I'm finally free." He stated. He pulled all the way away and lifted his left shirt sleeve to expose a smooth, unmarked arm. Severus's eyes widened. He covered his own Mark unconsiously with his right hand.

"How..." He was at a loss for words. Lucius wiped at his face, but more tears just leaked out of his eyes. He gave up and just beamed at Severus, his joy overflowing.

"Harry." Draco stated simply, happy that his father was so happy. He had alot to thank Harry for. He hadn't seen his father this happy since...ever. His father had left hs mother because she was loyal, actually loyal, to the Dark Lord. Severus turned abruptly at the name. It wasn't common knowledge that Severus Snape was in love with Harry Potter, but he had told Lucius and Draco must have figured it out by the was he was smirking.

"What?" He asked bluntly. He loved Harry, but he couldn't imagine the boy being able do that. No one had been able to figure out the counter-spell. A cough, obviously fake, at the door to the study pulled everyone's attention to the figure now standing in the doorway.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to interupt. I can go..." He turned to leave but Lucius stopped him.

"No, you can stay. You didn't interupt anything. Sev here just asked how you did...it." Everyone could tell he was curious also. Harry was biting his lip and looking down. His shoulders were shaking. They were worried when he made a choking sound.

"Harry. Are you okay?" Harry looked up and you could see he was holding laughter. He nodded and took a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing.

"Yeah fine." He smiled shyly at them, and then seemed to notice Severus standing not four feet from him. His eyes went wide and backed up a couple of steps. He stopped and seemed to have an inward battle about something none of them could know. He smiled again, this one more like a grimace. "Sorry. He's just really tall and really...there. I'm just being stupid." He shook his head, as if repremanding himself for his behavior. This had both Lucius and Severus worried. Even though Severus didn't know what was going on someone shouldn't be sorry for being afraid of something.

"It's okay Harry you have a reason to avoid things, but we'll talk more about that later. Why were you laughing?" Lucius question, innocently changing the subject until he could tell Severus what had happened. Harry smirked, one that would have done even a Malfoy justice.

"It was so simple. I can't believe I didn't think of it until just a few days ago. All I had to do was talk to it in parseltongue. 'Leave this skin unmarred as it was before you were burned unto it. Cause no pain in your undoing, alter none to your goneness. Protect this person and their off-spring from your brothers.' It doesn't even take a spell, for Merlin's sake! You were the first person I'd ever really tried it on before. It could've gone really badly. Sorry I made you my guinea pig. That was really Dumbldore of me." He scowled as he said the name Dumbldore and a deep hatred filled his voice before it turned light again.

"No problem. I'm estatic it worked. I owe you a lot for setting me free and saving Draco. We both owe you alot." Lucius told him sincerly, Draco nodded to his fathers because it was true. Harry smiled peacefully, his eyes older than his 17 year old body.

"Everyone makes stupid mistakes, your just happened to be an ugly tattoo. 'Setting you free' is the wrong term. I just expanded your freedom some. And if you've been a spy as long as Severus you deserve it. 20 years is enough for making up a stupid mistake. As for Draco. Well...no child should be forced to fight in a war that's not there's to fight." His voice was tired and weary up until the end, then it turned passionet and fiery. It showed just a small amount of the power the boy-no man- had in his control.

"But you're a child too. And you fight in the war. Hell you're supposed to end the war!" Draco exclaimed. He couldn't believe that Harry didn't think himself a child, he was more a child than Draco. Harry turned toward Draco, smiling knowingly.

"And that right there is why you're still a child. Innocence. I never had it. I never had a chilhood. I was never a child, couldn't ever be one. I was born a killer and I became one at a year old. That's when I lost all innocence I possed, when I lost all the people who cared about me. Mum, Dad, Sirius. All of them cared about me and they died. It won't happen again." He seemed to be talking more to himself than to the people in the room, his eyes were looking at something far away. His voice held a new determination when he spoke next. "2 hours. That's all Tom had left. He had better be ready, 'cause I'm gonna kill him and end it all in 2 hours. That's all I'll need. I don't think I'll live through it. The spell will drain me alot, possibly all the way. But it's got to be done, and if it saves even one more person, one more slytherin child from being unjustly marked it'll be worth my life, my existence, whatever you want to call what I'm doing." He stopped, his eyes coming back into focus. Lucius and Severus were starring at him in admiration. Draco was looking at him as if he was crazy.

"What do you mean 'unjustly marked'?" Severus asked Harry. He was in horror of the resignation about Harry's death, and awe of how brave he was. Harry had just made him fall even more in love with him with that show of self-lessness.

"I wasn't almost put into Slytherin for nothing. I know that just bacuse you come from a dark family, you're in slytherin, or you're a dark wizard doesn't make you evil. Only how you use the magic does." Lucius and Drcao were now standing shoulder to shoulder, leaned up against the wall. They were watching the interaction with anticipation, knowing that something big was about to be revealed and didn't want to stop it. Harry walked towards Severus slowly. When he was less than a foot away he placed his left hand on Severus's left arm. Lucius and Draco knew what he was doing. All three of them knew that Severus would never consiously let Harry remove the Mark before Voldemort died. Severus still thought he owed something to Dumbldore after 20 years. "Do you trust me?" Harry whispered in Severus's ear, still loud enough that Lucius and Draco could still hear, voice holding some emotion known of them would figure out until after he had left the room.

"Yes." Severus answered automatiacally. Severus lifted his hand until it rested on Harry's cheek. His thumb rubbed circles on the smooth skin. He was revealing in the contact with his love. Over-joyed that he wasn't being pushed away, on the contrarty, Harry was leaning into the touch.

"Good." Lucius and Drcao looked at each other in shock. They would have never guessed that Harry liked Severus back. They could also see the soft glow that emminated from under his hand. "If it holds any stock to you I think you deserve freedom more than most, even if you don't think so. You've saved more people than anyone can count in this war. I'm going to tell you something that is necessary in case I die, but embarrasing if I live." He tipped his head and kissed Severus gently on the lips, it was just a quick peck of the lips but it sent shivers down both their spines. Harry leaned closer to his ear and whispered three words that had Severus starring after him shcok, even after he left. "I love you." Harry swiftly walked out the door, his face sent into an emotionless mask.

Lucius and Draco had both heard Harry's admission, and both were as skocked as Severus. Harry had just admitted that he loved Severus, and then walked out of the room to his possible death.

"Did he just...?" Severus asked quietly, voice holding a mixture of fear and happiness. His love had just admitted he returned the feelings Severus had had for over 6 months. He was scared because Harry had just walked out to meet Voldemort in a battle to the death, possibly quite literally.

"He just said...that he...loved you." Draco was still in shock. "What do we do?" He looked to Lucius who was the most competant of the three.

"We wait." He replied. They all took up chairs, stealing themselves for a long night.

"He'll come back. He has too. I never told him how I felt and his stupid gryffindor pride won't let him die." Severus whispered. Lucius and Draco didn't comment on the fear that showed in his voice or on the words he had spoken. But both were hpoing that it was true. Both Severus and Harry deserved happiness finally. And Draco and Lucius wanted to get to know him more.

7 Hours Later

Lucius and Severus looked up as the study door opened and in walked a sweaty and tired, but happy, looking Harry. Draco woke from light slumber he was in when he heard his godfather and father rush across the room to a figure leaning on the doorframe.

"I'm baaaack! And alive!" Harry grinned at the rooms occupants.

"Are you okay?" Lucius asked, concerned. He had grown fond of the boy the short while he'd known him. Harry just waved the concern off and plopped wearily down on the couch Severus and Lucius had vacated.

"It's over. He's gone. Now all I want is a hot bath and a soft bed. , do you mind if I stay here tonight?" Harry turned to the stunned Lucius. How could the man even think he would force him to leave after he freed him and destroyed the Dark Lord. Ha, the boy was more innocent than he thought.

"Yes, it's fine. Even though it is already midnight. Severus can show you to a guest room on the way to his." Lucius was innocently puttting them in a room together by themselves to talk. Draco seemed to clue in on Lucius's plan and walked out of the room first. Lucius nodded to them both before he exited gracefully after his son. Harry grinned ruefully up at Severus. Severus was scared. He was about to talk to Harry about how he felt.

"I totally embarrased myself before I left, didn't I?" Harry seemed so sure of himself that Severus chuckled lightly. Harry blushed profusely. "I knew it. I'm an idiot. How I could have ever thought that you would like me back was crazy. But I really didn't plan on living through the battle." He seemed uncomfortable now, he stood and edged his way closer to the door. "Sorry." Severus had to had to stop himself from going over there and shaking the man senseless. He didin't think Severus liked him? Hell, Severus loved him. He knew he had to stop Harry from leaving the room before it was too late.

"You are an idiot." He didn't know why he said that, it just seemed to be the right thing to say.

"I know." Harry said defensivly. Severus sighed and walked closer to him. Harry seemed confused but didn't move in either direction, standing stock still. Severus was now standing about a foot away from Harry. He lifted his hand and placed it on Harry's cheek, rubbing circles on it like he had before. "What?" Harry asked, completely floored. He had expected rejection and teasing, not...this.

"Shh. You may be an idiot, but you're a beautiful idiot. A smart, funny, sweet, loving, caring idiot." He was trying to tell Harry he loved him without actually saying the three words he'd never said to anyone before. Harry didn't seem to get it, or he did and he was just trying to torture him. "Oh come on! Don't make me say it." He pleaded. He was still afraid of rejection, even after Harry's earlier admission.

"Say what?" Harry really didn't seem to get it. Severus rounded up all of his non-existent courage and kissed Harry softly. He skimmed his nose along his jaw line until his lips rested close to Harry's ear. Harry sucked in his breath, heart ponding so loud that Severus could hear it from where his head rested, nestled in Harry's neck.

"I. Love. You. You. Idiot." He punctuated each word with a soft kiss to his neck. Harry wrapped his arms around Severus's neck and brought his face up to kiss him on the lips. The kiss deepened slowly, each savoring the taste of the other. Severus tentively asked for entrance to Harry's mouth, which Harry granted welcomingly. Harry ran a hand through Severus's silky hair, his other hand on the nape of his neck, pulling him closer. Severus had one hand resting on Harry's hip, kneeding the soft flesh beneath his shirt, the other hand on his lower back, pulling Harry even closer. This went on for a few minutes until the need for air grew too great and they broke apart slowly as they entered the kiss, trying to linger as long as humanly possible. "I love you." Severus whispered again and pulled Harry close, tucking his head under his chin.

"People won't accept us. Do you care?" Harry's voice sounded worried. Why did he think that he would care what others thought of him?

"Do you?" He asked back.

"No." Severus smiled.

"Then you have your answer." He kissed the top of Harry's head and pulled him tighter against him.

"Thank you." Harry whispered against Severus's neck and kissed it softly.

"Why?"

"For loving me." He answered truthfully.

"It was no problem. I had a hard time not loving you. I tried to deny it for a good month straight, then the end of sixth year came and, when it hurt to watch you leave, I knew it was a lost cause denying it anymore. Thank you." He asnwered back.

"Why?"

"For loving me." Severus asnwered with the same words Harry had used moments earlier.

"It wasn't easy. It took a whole year of occlumency and late night talks for me to see the man underneath all the black robes and masks, which you were abundent in, might I add. I didn't even try to fight it, I know when to give in to my heart and this was one of those times." They were now lying on the couch, Harry nestled against Severus's side. Severus had his arms wrapped protectivly around Harry, trying to pull him as close as he could.

"I'm sorry." He told him, and truely he was. He had made it hard for someone to love him so he couldn't get hurt. "But I am glad that you're so stubborn and didn't give up. Even when it could have been a lost cause. I love you." He was happy that Harry had stuck around long enough to get to know him, to love him.

"I'm glad I did too. I love you. Forever." Harry's soft words were like food to a starving man. Only Severus was starved of love, not food. Now that he had it he didn't think he could ever let it go.

"Forever?" Severus questioned warily, not sure if Harry really meant it as he did.

"You have my heart, I need it to survive. I can't survive without you. I've had a taste of your love, now I don't think I can live without it." Harry stated his thoughts just as Severus hoped he would.

"Forever sounds good to me." Both were now yawning widely. "Let's go to bed. You want to sleep in your own room?" He was uncertain how far Harry would go, wishing they would sleep in the same bed but not daring to hope. Harry just smiled peacefully and led him out of the room to the guest room he had woken up in before.

"You have my heart, remember? I need you with me. Forever." Harry pushed Severus into the room and gently closed the door behind himself.

"And I need you with me. Forever." Severus replied before he kissed him sweetly. The moment was like honey on their souls, sweet and sticky, sucking them even more into each other. Both undressed slowly, admiring each other from sidelong glances. They climbed into the already mussed up bed, pulling the covers over themselves. Harry snuggled his back into Severus's chest, while Severus wrapped his arms around him, pulliing him even closer than before.

"Sweet dreams, my sly little lion." Severus spoke into the dark, peaceful silence that had enveloped the room.

"Goodnight, my courageous serpent." Harry turned in Severus's arms until he faced him and kissed his neck sweetly, just as Severus was kissing his hair. Both drifted off, wrapped in each others arms, lips pressed on the others body, holding each other lovingly.

This was the sight Draco and Lucius walked in on the next morning. Both smiled softly at the sight, happy they had finally found happiness. They exited the room as silently as they entered and walked down to the dining hall for breakfast, content in all that had happened in the last 24 hours.


End file.
